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#34 – Liver and Onions

#34 – Liver and Onions

A basic dish, but one that’s very controversial! I’ve been trying to include more liver in my diet because it truly is a superfood. Even a small serving is packed with important vitamins and minerals. But, I didn’t grow up eating liver and I’ve found that I’m very sensitive to the “liver” flavor in a bad way. Luckily, with some tips from some experienced liver cooks, I’ve been able to not just stomach it – but enjoy it. If you are trying liver for the first time, I highly recommend buying your liver frozen in pre-slices so that if you still really don’t like it, you’ll have some time to find someone who does!

This will produce enough for 1 full serving, or 2 side servings.

Ingredients:

1 slice of frozen liver

Several cups of whole milk

Butter or other fat (bacon drippings, tallow, lard, etc.)

1 small onion, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic (optional)

Directions

Start out of the right foot – first thaw the liver, then in a shallow bowl or pan, soak the liver in milk. This is key in removing any lingering overly “liver” or “organ” flavor. I’ve achieved good results with about 4 hours of soaking, but there’s no reason to not set it up the night before if it comes to mind.

Heat a heavy pan on high. When significantly hot, carefully toss in at least 2 tablespoons of butter or fat. Don’t be shy with the fat. Let liquefy completely.

Saute onions and garlic with a little salt and pepper. After initial singeing, lower heat to medium. Onions soften and caramelized – I recommend keeping the pan relatively hot as to get a little bit of char on the onions.

Push onions to the sides of the pan. Gently rinse the milk-soaked liver and pat dry with a paper towel before placing in the hot pan.

Sear both sides, Liver cooks faster that muscle meat, so it shouldn’t require much more than 30 seconds on each side. Be careful to not overcook the liver, as that can also bring out it’s less pleasant flavors.

Turn off heat. If desired, chop liver into strips and toss to combine in the hot pan. Serve immediately and enjoy the nourishing power of liver!